Never Forever
by Sweet Corruption
Summary: There is never forever. Two years after Sarah defeats the Labyrinth, she is diagnosed with cancer and, on her deathbed, wishes to see the Goblin King one more time to tell him the things she desperately needs him to know.


**A/N:** I don't know how I really feel about this. It came to me one night while I was watching Labyrinth and it wouldn't go away until I wrote it. I don't know, maybe it's good, maybe it sucks hardcore. I guess it's not my place to decide right now seeing as I'm unable to. However, this is my first Labyrinth fic so it probably sucks horribly. I only hope I managed to keep them somewhat in character. It isn't a happy ending. At all. I didn't mean for it to be even in the beginning. It just seemed to...fit. Forgive me if it's horrid.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Labyrinth nor do I own any of the characters I use in this story, they all belong to their respective creators.

* * *

"Hoggle?" the girl questioned softly. 

"Yes Sarah?"

"Could you do me a favour?"

"Anything."

"Will you tell Jareth that I wish to see him?"

"Anything but that."

"Please Hoggle."

"No. He'll just hurt yous and make things worse than they already are."

"Hoggle...please. I want to see him one more time. There aren't many things that can hurt me anymore. Not now."

"What if he refuses to come?"

"Tell him I lied."

"About what?"

"He'll know."

"What if that doesn't work?"

"It will, but if it doesn't tell him that it's alright. It's only forever...not long at all."

"Okay Sarah," he agreed reluctantly, his voice cracking. "I'll be back soon...withs or withouts him."

"Tell Sir Didymus and Ludo that I love them and I'll miss them. No matter where I end up."

"Yous know where you'll end up," he bit back.

"Lying isn't exactly the way to get there," she replied, but he was already gone.

Sighing, the girl allowed her head to fall back so she could stare at the ceiling. She was almost at peace and, when she was, she knew that she could finally let go. First, however, she needed to fix things. She needed to make things right with Jareth or she would never be able to go. The look on his face when she told him that he had no power over her, as if someone had crushed every dream he'd ever had, haunted her. It had become a constant in her life, in her dreams. She needed to apologise. She needed to let him know--

"Sarah," Hoggle called, pulling her away from ther thoughts.

Lifting her head, she smiled softly at the sight of the Goblin King standing behind her friend.

"Jareth," she murmured, relieved he had come.

"Do not sound so surprised," he told her cooly. "I have told you before that I always come when I am called upon. Whether it be by a spoiled child wishing away a sibling or a girl who's made a horrible mistake and wishes to rectify the situation."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her nose beginning to burn.

"Hoggle," the fae spoke, needing no further words to express his wish to be alone with the girl for the time being.

"No," the dwarf replied, surprising himself with courage he'd never known he had.

"Leave," the king insisted, turning his attention to the creature as his mismatched eyes flashed with annoyance. "Now."

"But---"

"It's alright Hoggle," Sarah cut in. "I promise. I'll call for you when we're done talking."

He didn't look happy with her decision, yet he knew better than to push his luck, so he simply set his jaw, and disappeared silently through the mirror, but not without giving Jareth a dark stare, making his distaste very well known.

"Why did you call me here?" he questioned after Hoggle had left, moving to stand next to her.

"I lied," she answered.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"I love you."

"I can't heal you," he whispered brokenly. "The only power I have here is to take children that have been wished away."

"I know, Jareth."

"Then why?!" he demanded harshly.

"Because I needed you to know."

"You selfish little thing," he ground out, forcing away the burning sensation in the backs of his eyes.

"I know," she replied softly, taking his gloved hand within her own.

"What--" he seethed, unable to help but grip her hand tightly. "--gives you the right to do such a thing? You've defeated my Labyrinth and refused me. Is that not enough for you?"

"I had to save Toby. I didn't want to leave you but my brother was never meant to be a goblin, Jareth. You know this as well as I do."

"I know nothing save for the fact that you turned me down with no reason at all."

"Toby was reason enough."

"You gave my promise no thought at all did you?" he questioned, hurt beginning to creep into his eyes.

"'I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave,'" she quoted, never removing her gaze from his. "It's been playing in my head for the past two years. I could never forget it."

"I will be your slave," he repeated forcefully, tearing his hand from hers in favour of pacing the room. "Did you not think that included sending your brother back if you only asked?"

"I was a child, Jareth. You cannot honestly have expected me to think of every possibility."

"No, I did not. But I expected you to think of the most obvious," he retorted, pausing to look at her again.

"I was under duress at the time. How was I to think of even the most obvious possibilities? The only thing that I could think of was to save Toby...and at that time the only way I knew how to do it was to defeat you. I didn't want to leave you, Jareth. I never wanted you to get hurt. That look you gave me...like I'd just---"

"Ripped out my heart, annihilated it, and then handed me the surviving bits back on a platter," he bitterly finished for her.

"I can only offer you my apologies and let you know that I did love you in return. Whether I left or not."

The goblin king opened his mouth to fire back an answer but closed it again and returned to her side, watching her intently for a moment before hesitantly lifting his hand and running his fingers over her lips lightly.

"Why didn't you come back?"

"I didn't think you would want me after what I'd done to you."

"Foolish girl. I could never stop wanting you."

"You'll be here when I go?" she whispered, tears beginning to spill from her eyes.

"I'll be here as long as you want me to be, Sarah."

"I love you, Goblin King."

"I love you as well my foolish little mortal," he murmured, leaning over, and brushing his lips against hers.

* * *

The day Sarah died was a beautiful one. The sun was shining and the flowers were in full bloom. She went peacefully, feeling no pain, and even had a smile on her face as she released her last breath. The Goblin King kept his word and was there when she passed. With her, went his heart. He never found another girl that could ever hold it like she had. Though there were times when he found himself lonely, he was not unhappy. The one woman who had managed to make him fall in love with her in the centuries he'd lived, had returned his love and that knowledge stayed with him throughout the rest of his long life. 

Her grave was one that was visited regularly, whether by him, the others of the underground, or her family. There was never a day that it went without a fresh bouquet of narcissus, her favourite flower, not even in the dead of winter when they were out of season and impossible to find. No one ever knew where they came from, save Toby. He could hazzard a guess. He'd heard his sister crying out in her sleep and the name Jareth was always on her lips. Though he'd only seen the man the day Sarah passed, Toby knew Jareth loved his sister and was the reason she had been at peace when she died.

Now he was seeing him again, and though years had passed since Sarah's death, Jareth had not aged a day. A fact that did not escape the now middle aged Toby Williams. He watched as the other worldly dressed male placed the flowers on his sister's grave and let his fingers run over the letters engraved in her tombstone a small smile on his face, and it all clicked into place for the mortal man as he heard the words the Goblin King spoke.

"You have power over me, Sarah. You always will."


End file.
